Hanger assembly for electrical fixtures



Oct. 5, 1965 c. G. CHRISTENSEN 3,210,037

HANGER ASSEMBLY FOR ELECTRICAL FIXTURES v Filed July 18, 1962 FIG-.3

INVENTOR.

C. G. CHRISTENSEN BY% W United States Patent 3,210,037 HANGER ASSEMBLY FOR ELECTRICAL FIXTURES Carl Gordon Christensen, Des Moines, Iowa (3209 Hillsdale Drive, Urbandale, Iowa) Filed July 18, 1962, Ser. No. 210,800 1 Claim. (Cl. 248-317) This invention relates to supports particularly of the type used for electrical fixtures, and in particular a hanger having jaws for gripping a tube carried by a bracket having a base with upwardly spaced outwardly extended horizontally disposed arms, and wherein the jaws are urged by springs into gripping relation with an outwardly flared upper end of the tube.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a hanger for electrical fixtures in which a fixture carrying tube is secured in the hanger by toggle acting jaws, and conventional bolts, nuts and screws, or other fastening elements are not required.

Various types of hangers have been provided for suspending electric lighting fixtures from ceilings, and the like, and substantially all hangers and supports for this use employ, nuts and bolts, screws, and other mechanical fastening elements, all of which are diflicult to install and also difiicult to repair.

With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a hanger including a bracket, and spring actuated gripping jaws, in which the jaws are os arranged that a fixture carrying tube may be pushed upwardly between the jaws, and wherein the jaws grip the tube as the tube is drawn downwardly.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide an electric fixture hanger in which it is only necessary to force a fixture carrying tube having an outwardly flared upper end upwardly into the hanger and then draw the tube downwardly slightly to insure a positive grip between the tube and hanger.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electric fixture supporting hanger in which the electric fixtures are readily removed from the hanger to facilitate repair.

Another important object of the invention is to provide an electric fixture supporting hanger in which all screws, bolts and the like are obviated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hanger for electric fixtures in which fixture carrying tubes are readily installed, and also readily removed, in which all possibility of a fixture being accidentally displaced from the hanger is eliminated.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a hanger for electrical fixtures in which the hanger is of simple and economical construction.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following detailed description, drawings, and claim, the scope of the invention not being limited to the drawings themselves as the drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating a method by which the principles of this invention can be applied.

Other embodiments of the invention utilizing the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claim.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the improved electrical fixture hanger of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal section through the hanger, taken on line 22 of FIGURE 1, with gripping jaws thereof shown in gripping positions.

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal section similar to that "ice shown in FIGURE 2, with the jaws and upper end of the tube shown in broken lines, in the free positions.

While one embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the above-referred-to drawings, it is to be understood that they are merely for the purpose of illustration and that various changes in construction may be resorted to in the course of manufacture in order that the invention may be utilized to the best advantage according to circumstances which may arise, without in any manner departing from the spirit and intention of the device, which is to be limited only in accordance with the appended claim. And while there is stated the primary field of utility of the invention it remains obvious that it may be employed in any other capacity wherein it may be found applicable.

In the accompanying drawings, and in the following specification, the same reference characters are used to designate the same parts and elements throughout, and in which the numeral 10 refers to the invention in its entirety, numeral 12 referring to the base of a supporting bracket, numerals 14 and 16 vertical panels extended upwardly from ends of the base 12, numerals 18 and 20 horizontally disposed flanges spaced upwardly above the base 12, numerals 22 and 24 gripping jaws having tabs 26 and 28 extended through openings 30 and 32 in the vertical panels 14 and 16, and urged upwardly by springs 34 and 36, and numeral 38 a tube having an outwardly flared upper end 40, and extended through an opening 42 in the base 12.

The lower ends of the springs 34 and 36 are secured in openings 44 in the tabs 26 and 28 and the upper ends are secured in openings 46 and 48 of pins 50 and 52 that are secured in openings 54 and 56 of the flanges 18 and 20. The pins 50 and 52 are provided with heads 58 and 60, and with the parts assembled, as illustrated in the drawing, the springs urge the pins in the openings.

In use one of the flanges 18 or 20 is inserted behind a stud or nailed to the stud, or other member of framework, and with the leads or wires extended through the tube 38 the upper end of the tube is inserted through the opening 42, pushing the gripping jaws upwardly, as indicatecl by the broken lines 62 until the bell of the tube passes through the jaws, as shown in FIGURE 3. The tube 38 is then drawn downwardly to the position shown in FIGURE 2, with the jaws gripping the upper end of the tube.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a Hanger Assembly for Electrical Fixtures constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and used, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice, except as claimed.

Having now described the invention that which is claimed to be new and desired to be procured by Letters Patent, is:

A light fixture hanger comprising a bracket including a horizontally disposed base with an opening therethrough and vertically disposed panels extended upwardly from the ends, the upper ends of said panels having horizontally disposed arms extended therefrom, jaws having tabs extended therefrom on the base and positioned around the opening through the base, a tube having an outwardly flared upper end extended through the opening of the base and positioned to be gripped by said jaws, said tabs of the jaws extending through openings in the lower ends of the panels, and springs positioned with ends connected to a 4 said tabs and their opposite ends connected to those ends FOREIGN PATENTS of said arms which are extended from the panels. 1,043,467 6/53 France References Cited by the Examiner FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Examiner. 995,893 6/11 Neitzel l. 28518 1,982,482 11/34 Rhodes 24254 

